Prologue

Gower tells the audience of Pericles’s marriage to Thaisa, and that they conceive a child on their wedding night. In dumb-show, Pericles is seen receiving another message. Gower explains that it is from Helicanus, telling of Antiochus’s death and the mutiny of the Tyrian lords. Freed from the fear of assassination, Pericles can at last reveal his regal identity, to the joy of all Pentapolis. To calm Tyre down, however, he must return there, and Thaisa insists on following. Gower tells that as they cross the sea, they are caught in a wild storm. (60 lines)

Enter Gower.

GOW.GOWER

Now sleep yslacked hath the rout,

No din but snores the house about,

Made louder by the o’erfed breast

Of this most pompous marriage-feast.

The cat, with eyne of burning coal,

Now couches from the mouse’s hole;

And crickets sing at the oven’s mouth,

Are the blither for their drouth.

Hymen hath brought the bride to bed,

Where, by the loss of maidenhead,

A babe is moulded. Be attent,

And time that is so briefly spent

With your fine fancies quaintly eche:

What’s dumb in show I’ll plain with speech.

Dumb Show.

Enter Pericles and Simonides, at one door, with Attendants. The Second Tyrian Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives Pericles a letter. Pericles shows it Simonides; the Lords kneel to him. Then enter Thaisa with child, with Lychorida, a nurse. The King shows her the letter; she rejoices. She and Pericles take leave of her father, and depart with Lychorida and their Attendants. Then exeunt Simonides and the rest.